Maldives Seeks Expanded Air Links with Russia During Moscow Visit
- Maldives Tourism Minister Mohamed Ameen met Russian Deputy Transport Minister Dmitry Zverev, with both sides agreeing to operate additional carriers to the Maldives.
- The five-day delegation to Moscow and St Petersburg includes meetings with tour operators, travel trade partners and government officials to boost cooperation and gather market intelligence ahead of Visit Maldives Year 2027.
- State Minister Dr Abdulla Niyaz held bilateral talks with JSC Corporation Tourism.RF on hospitality training, knowledge sharing and investment, as Russia remains a key source market for the Maldives.
The Maldives is pursuing additional airline services from Russia as a high-level tourism delegation begins a five-day visit to Moscow and St Petersburg, focused on strengthening tourism cooperation and flight capacity between the two countries.
Minister of Tourism and Civil Aviation Mohamed Ameen met Russian State Secretary and Deputy Minister of Transport Dmitry Zverev in Moscow, where discussions centred on air connectivity. According to the Ministry of Tourism and Civil Aviation, both sides agreed on operating additional carriers to the Maldives.
The delegation’s programme includes meetings with senior Russian government representatives on tourism and civil aviation cooperation, existing air links and opportunities to increase capacity on routes connecting Russia and the Maldives.
The visit also includes engagement with leading tour operators, travel trade partners, industry associations, digital platforms and tourism companies in both Moscow and St Petersburg. These meetings are expected to provide the Maldives with market intelligence ahead of the upcoming tourism season and Visit Maldives Year 2027, while identifying travel trends and potential joint promotional initiatives.
Separately, State Minister Dr Abdulla Niyaz led the Maldivian delegation in a bilateral meeting with JSC Corporation Tourism.RF in Moscow. The discussions covered tourism cooperation, including exchanges in hospitality and hotel management, training and knowledge sharing, as well as investment opportunities.
Two industry networking events are also scheduled in Moscow and St Petersburg, bringing together Russian travel trade representatives, tourism stakeholders and media. The sessions will highlight developments in the Maldivian tourism sector and deepen engagement with partners involved in bringing Russian visitors to the destination.
Russia remains an important source market for the Maldives, making air capacity and industry partnerships central to efforts to maintain visitor flows and strengthen tourism links between the two countries.
